Assistant State Director, Kentucky (M1)

Save the Children

For over 100 years, Save the Children has been fighting for the rights of children. The right to a healthy start in life. To have access to education. To be in a safe environment, protected from harm. We work in some of the world's hardest-to-reach places - over 100 countries, including the U.S. No matter what your role is, when you join Save the Children, you're creating positive, irreversible change for children, and the future we all share.

The Role

Save the Children partners with schools, communities, and state governments to deliver programs and mobilize resources that increase Kindergarten readiness and grade-level proficiency among children in rural America. The Assistant State Director, is responsible for meeting or exceeding annual program results targets for all programs delivered in the state. As the Child Safeguarding Focal Point for the state, you will work to ensure all child safeguarding policies and protocols are properly implemented. You will oversee a team of Lead Associates, will be responsible for managing performance to ensure all programmatic and operational deliverables are met. You will also oversee all site- and district-level program partnerships, and will support the maintenance of key state-level partnerships, to advance Save the Children's Rural Education strategy. Working in close collaboration with and reporting to the Kentucky State Director, you will support new initiatives and activities that promote the growth and sustainability of programs in the state.

Location:

Hybrid - Berea, Kentucky Office Location

What You'll Be Doing (Essential Duties)

Program Quality 30%

• Under the supervision of the State Director, the Assistant Director is responsible for overall state program performance; ensuring high-quality program delivery and that annual state program results targets are met or exceeded.

• Ensure program enrollment goals are met and maintained across all partner sites.
• Serve as the Child Safeguarding Focal Point for the state, ensuring all staff, partners and volunteers are trained to prevent, identify and report incidents; monitoring reports and addressing incidents, and working with the SCUS Director of Child Safeguarding to implement updates and ensure effective application of policies and procedures.
• Conduct frequent program data reviews to ensure timely and accurate data entry, identify trends, and address gaps in program performance.
• Coordinate and support the delivery of partner program training, results-reviews and lessons learned meetings, and ongoing technical assistance.
• Work with Lead Associates and Advisors, to collaboratively identify modified approaches and provide customized program interventions as needed.
• In the event Save the Children responds to a disaster in the state, collaborate with the U.S. Emergencies team and response team on the ground to support any response and recovery needs.
• Oversee a developing portfolio of community and cross-sector focused work.

Partnership Management: 30%

• Responsible for establishing, managing, and maintaining healthy relationships with program-delivery and emergency network partners across the state.
• In collaboration with the State Director, establish state-, district-, and site-level partnership strategies; build relationships with key stakeholders, conduct partner selection analyses, maintain a prospective partner pipeline, and support the acquisition of funding for program expansion.
• Oversee the site-level annual Partner Planning and budget negotiation process across the state, ensuring partner plans and budgets are completed on time and align with program strategy and donor requirements.
• Responsible for ensuring that all programs across the state start on time, are adequately staffed, and have all program supplies and resources needed for implementation across the program year.
• Troubleshoot partner issues requiring escalation, and work collaboratively to resolve conflicts that could negatively impact programming and/or the partnership.

Management and Operational Excellence: 20%

• Support the development and management of state-level annual budget and plan, ensuring compliance with finance, operations, and donor requirements.
• Work with the State Director to oversee the state portfolio of partner sub-awards, ensuring efficient and allowable use of funds.

• Provide regular, timely communication to the State Director and other key team members as needed with progress updates, partner/program concerns, and other key areas of operation.

• Responsible for ensuring state staff and partners have access to strong knowledge management tools and resources needed for program implementation, data entry, monitoring, sharing practices, and managing daily operations.
• Build and maintain a high-performing team - participate in the development of state organizational design and staffing plan; work with Human Resources/Talent Attraction and Acquisition to lead recruitment efforts for state Lead Associate and Advisor staff; and promote staff learning and development goals.
• Train, develop, coach, lead, and supervise staff, clearly communicating organization, division and department priorities, and how their work contributes to our mission and supports Save the Children values

• Work with the Operations coordinator to ensure equitable and timely distribution of Gifts In Kind (GIK).

State Strategic Support: 20%

• Work closely with State Director to develop and implement state growth and expansion plans.
• Support the advancement of USPA's Policy and Advocacy goals at the state level and communicate advocacy efforts with partners, as needed.
• Under the direction of the State Director, conduct and support activities that increase the visibility of Save the Children's work in the state.
• Work with State Director and other key team members to plan and support donor site visits as needed.
• Serve as a core member of the kindergarten readiness and third grade reading USPA results teams.

Required Qualifications

• Minimum of a Bachelor's Degree or equivalent experience, plus at least 5 years of relevant experience
• Proven experience in nonprofit or similar work focused on education, early childhood, out-of-school time learning, or related field, with a demonstrated clear understanding of, and ability to convey, issues related to poverty in rural communities
• Demonstrated track record of successful staff management and business operations skills with experience managing grants and budgets
• Professional proficiency in MS Office suite
• Professional proficiency in spoken and written English
• Demonstrated comprehensive partnership relationship management skills with proven experience successfully managing and implementing partnership-based educational programs to achieve grant deliverables and results.
• Proven track record of successfully establishing and maintaining donor relationships and supporting development activities, especially with state-level government agencies and legislators.
• Willingness and ability to travel, regionally and nationally, up to 30% of the time

This position may require the incumbent to operate a motor vehicle to fulfill certain essential functions of the job. The incumbent should maintain a valid driver's license and remain in compliance with any Save the Children policies pertaining to the safe operation of motor vehicles

Compensation

Save the Children is offering the following salary ranges for this position, dependent on candidate location:

• Geo 1 - NY Metro, DC, and other locations with labor costs significantly above national average: Target Salary for this position is $90,950 - $101,650 base salary
• Geo 2 - Locations around the US National Labor Cost Average: Target Salary for this position is $82,450 - $92,150 base salary
• Geo 3 - Locations significantly below the US National Labor Cost Average: Target Salary for this position is $73,950 - $82,650 base salary

The salary ranges listed above are for US based candidates. For candidates located outside of the US, salary ranges will be based on the salary scales of the local employer of record. Actual base salary may vary based on, but not limited to, relevant experience, base salary of internal peers, business sector, and geographic location (more information on job structure is available here).

About Us

We are looking to build an inclusive team at Save the Children. We offer a range of outstanding benefits to support this goal:

• Flexible schedules and time off: Flexible schedules, generous PTO, 11 paid holidays plus 2 floating holidays and hybrid working opportunities
• Health: Competitive health care, dental and vision coverage for you and your family
• Family: A variety of paid leaves: caregiver, parental/adoption, critical child illness and fertility benefits
• Employee Rewards Program: Annual merit increases and/or additional incentives for eligible employees
• Retirement: A retirement savings plan with employer contributions (after one year)
• Wellness: 15 safety and wellness days annually (if hired on or after July 1, safety and wellness days prorated to 8 days), mental health benefits and support through Calm and company-hosted events
• Employee Assistance Program: free and confidential assessments, short-term counseling, referrals, and follow-up services
• Learning & Growth: Access to internal and external learning & development opportunities and mentorships

Click here to learn more about how Save the Children US will invest in you.

Save the Children is committed to conducting its programs and operations in a manner that is safe for the children it serves and helping protect the children with whom we are in contact. All Save the Children representatives are explicitly prohibited from engaging in any activity that may result in any kind of child abuse.

Save the Children is committed to minimizing safety and security risks for our valued employees, ensuring all are given training, support and information to reduce their risk exposure while maximizing the impact of our programs for children and families. Our shared duty, both agency and individual, is to seek and maintain safe working conditions for all.

If you require disability assistance with the application or recruitment process, please submit a request to applicantsupport@savechildren.org.